Aston Martin’s global centenary celebration programme powered into Germany yesterday (Sunday 19 May) as the great British sports car maker marked its first 100 years with a 100-plus car parade at the Nordschleife.

Just ahead of the start of the 41st ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours a cavalcade of more than 100 Aston Martin sports cars took to the infamous road circuit for a celebratory parade lap.

Led by Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez at the wheel of the stunning new CC100 Speedster Concept, which made its global debut at the Nürburgring this weekend, the parade comprised cars from the brand’s glittering past and stylish present.

Among the models making the 22 km lap were the DB5 used in the recent James Bond film Skyfall, a One-77 hypercar, the 1959 Nürburgring 1000 km-winning DBR1 with original driver Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel, and a modern Centenary Edition Vanquish bearing the numberplate ‘100YRS’.

These were followed by scores of enthusiast owners who had travelled from across Europe to take part in the iconic gathering of Aston Martins.

Among the modern models represented were pristine examples of DBS, DB9, Vantage and Rapide – driving the Nordschleife alongside a DB3, DB2/4 Drophead, DB7 Zagato and a V12 Vanquish S.

Dr Bez said: “It was a fabulous occasion. To see so many of our great cars together on the Nordschleife – the ‘green hell’ where we test and develop our modern road cars – was, I hope, truly memorable for the spectators and drivers.

“It was a great pleasure, too, to see Sir Stirling Moss back at the circuit driving the DBR1 in which he triumphed here more than 50 years ago.”